Today is the last day of week 2. We want to wrap things up by midnight tonight.
What preaching techniques, if any, that Paul used seem to match the preaching of the apostle Paul?
Monday, June 30, 2008
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Church Camp Blessings
Church camps have been a real blessing to me throughout my life. I went to one when I was in the seventh grade. My Uncle (who is a year-and-a-half younger than I am) talked me into going. I asked him, "What do you do there?"
He answered, " Well, we get up in the morning and we have breakfast. Then we have something like a church service. Later in the morning, we have a class. Then, in the afternoon, we have a class. Later in the afternoon, we play softball or something like that." He only began to get my attention when he started talking about the games. Don't get me wrong, I had been saved for a year, and I did attend my local Free Will Baptist Church--My Zion. "Then we have supper, and get ready for church. Then we have church. Later that night, we play games." The only other thing that got my attention was that we play games again. He didn't tell me how hard it might be to get to sleep.
I went that first year, and I really enjoyed it. I could not explain it, but just like he said, I actually enjoyed going to the classes and going to church so much. I also liked the games and the fellowship with the other young people, but I liked the church services almost the best. It was also exciting seeing those young children come to Christ. We had a camp for all ages from 8 to 18.
I missed the next year, but I was hooked. I went again the following year, and attended every year until I got in college, and then I attended as a counselor even during those years.
One of the great thrills of my life was to later be asked to be the preacher for that same camp.
Another blessing that came from camp has had a far-reaching effect in my life. You see, my senior year in college, I met the lady who is now my wife. I knew then that I was ready to "settle down and get married," and I had a pretty good indication that "she was the one." The only problem is that she was three younger, and time didn't seem to be slipping away for her. She knew she liked me, and she liked me really well, but she didn't want to make a mistake because she "might not be sure [she] even [knew] what 'love' is."
I was the recreation director for camp that year, and I talked her into attending as a counselor. On the first or second afternoon, I was dropping all of the softball equipment out of a bag, and we had kids of all ages crowding around us. That night, she told me that when she saw that she thought to herself that maybe she did love me afterall. She would want to spend her life with someone who would love and minister to kids. That was good enough for me. Her thought that maybe she loved me only grew into the fact that she definitely did!
Then our association of churches wanted to start a camp. Since I was the one who had been asked to be on the board who also had some experience, I was asked to be the director of that first year's camp for Camp Jericho. I got information from the camp I attended as a kid, and I gathered up the schedules from two other camps I had attended. Then a good friend of mine, Glenn Dryden, who had been a director of a camp for over ten years, gave me materials from his camp also. Many of the words in our present guidelines actually came from the guidelines he gave me.
I combined all those documents, and maybe our first camp was a little overscheduled, but I think we all had a wonderful time.
Camp impacted my life in another way. Before we had dormitories, the boys and men stayed in tents. When my second oldest daughter, Ralanna, was dating a young man in which she was interested, we talked him into coming to camp, and the two of them were in charge of the recreational activities. (He had a minor in Bible College for youth ministry.) I suspected that sometime he might want to talk to me because our daughters had been taught that if a potential husband started talking about marriage, they would say something like, "Before I could say, 'yes,' you will have to talk to my Dad."
Anyway, Chip, Ralanna's boyfriend and I stayed in the same tent that week, and that was when he asked me about marrying my daughter. Since Rhonda and I both liked him, and I knew that Ralanna was very interested in him, and since we knew that he was a Christian, I told him that it would be O.K. to pursue the relationship. The whole process was really neat because he included me all along the way, even to the point of telling when he was going to pick out a ring. That was just another area where camp was a blessing.
A third blessing from camp came shortly after that. I attended an evening service during the Sr. (Older Teen) camp at Camp Jericho where my son was playing the piano and another young man, Tommy Dryden, was leading the singing and playing the guitar. I knew Tommy. He is the son of Bro. Glenn who had given me the guidelines for his camp. I had even spent some time at Tommy's school where I answered questions from students about science and mathematics. He and I worked through an elective College Math course together. He was an O.K. kid as far as I was concerned, but I did not know much more about his spiritual commitment. Well, anyway, at this church service at camp, he gave his testimony. He was so open and honest that he impressed me in a whole new way. I went away from that service thinking, "There is a man who loves God!"
Later, my youngest daughter, Rita Beth, got interested in Tommy. Things progressed. We talked, and he and Rita Beth continued to pursue their relationship with each other. Now he is my son-in-law. He had both my, and my wife's, blessing to pursue the relationship; but he did not know that he really won me over that night at camp.
Church camps have impacted my life, and the life of my family, in a great way.
I Just thought I would give this testimony since we saw each other at the camp volunteer meeting this afternoon, and since both of you will be helping in camp this year.
He answered, " Well, we get up in the morning and we have breakfast. Then we have something like a church service. Later in the morning, we have a class. Then, in the afternoon, we have a class. Later in the afternoon, we play softball or something like that." He only began to get my attention when he started talking about the games. Don't get me wrong, I had been saved for a year, and I did attend my local Free Will Baptist Church--My Zion. "Then we have supper, and get ready for church. Then we have church. Later that night, we play games." The only other thing that got my attention was that we play games again. He didn't tell me how hard it might be to get to sleep.
I went that first year, and I really enjoyed it. I could not explain it, but just like he said, I actually enjoyed going to the classes and going to church so much. I also liked the games and the fellowship with the other young people, but I liked the church services almost the best. It was also exciting seeing those young children come to Christ. We had a camp for all ages from 8 to 18.
I missed the next year, but I was hooked. I went again the following year, and attended every year until I got in college, and then I attended as a counselor even during those years.
One of the great thrills of my life was to later be asked to be the preacher for that same camp.
Another blessing that came from camp has had a far-reaching effect in my life. You see, my senior year in college, I met the lady who is now my wife. I knew then that I was ready to "settle down and get married," and I had a pretty good indication that "she was the one." The only problem is that she was three younger, and time didn't seem to be slipping away for her. She knew she liked me, and she liked me really well, but she didn't want to make a mistake because she "might not be sure [she] even [knew] what 'love' is."
I was the recreation director for camp that year, and I talked her into attending as a counselor. On the first or second afternoon, I was dropping all of the softball equipment out of a bag, and we had kids of all ages crowding around us. That night, she told me that when she saw that she thought to herself that maybe she did love me afterall. She would want to spend her life with someone who would love and minister to kids. That was good enough for me. Her thought that maybe she loved me only grew into the fact that she definitely did!
Then our association of churches wanted to start a camp. Since I was the one who had been asked to be on the board who also had some experience, I was asked to be the director of that first year's camp for Camp Jericho. I got information from the camp I attended as a kid, and I gathered up the schedules from two other camps I had attended. Then a good friend of mine, Glenn Dryden, who had been a director of a camp for over ten years, gave me materials from his camp also. Many of the words in our present guidelines actually came from the guidelines he gave me.
I combined all those documents, and maybe our first camp was a little overscheduled, but I think we all had a wonderful time.
Camp impacted my life in another way. Before we had dormitories, the boys and men stayed in tents. When my second oldest daughter, Ralanna, was dating a young man in which she was interested, we talked him into coming to camp, and the two of them were in charge of the recreational activities. (He had a minor in Bible College for youth ministry.) I suspected that sometime he might want to talk to me because our daughters had been taught that if a potential husband started talking about marriage, they would say something like, "Before I could say, 'yes,' you will have to talk to my Dad."
Anyway, Chip, Ralanna's boyfriend and I stayed in the same tent that week, and that was when he asked me about marrying my daughter. Since Rhonda and I both liked him, and I knew that Ralanna was very interested in him, and since we knew that he was a Christian, I told him that it would be O.K. to pursue the relationship. The whole process was really neat because he included me all along the way, even to the point of telling when he was going to pick out a ring. That was just another area where camp was a blessing.
A third blessing from camp came shortly after that. I attended an evening service during the Sr. (Older Teen) camp at Camp Jericho where my son was playing the piano and another young man, Tommy Dryden, was leading the singing and playing the guitar. I knew Tommy. He is the son of Bro. Glenn who had given me the guidelines for his camp. I had even spent some time at Tommy's school where I answered questions from students about science and mathematics. He and I worked through an elective College Math course together. He was an O.K. kid as far as I was concerned, but I did not know much more about his spiritual commitment. Well, anyway, at this church service at camp, he gave his testimony. He was so open and honest that he impressed me in a whole new way. I went away from that service thinking, "There is a man who loves God!"
Later, my youngest daughter, Rita Beth, got interested in Tommy. Things progressed. We talked, and he and Rita Beth continued to pursue their relationship with each other. Now he is my son-in-law. He had both my, and my wife's, blessing to pursue the relationship; but he did not know that he really won me over that night at camp.
Church camps have impacted my life, and the life of my family, in a great way.
I Just thought I would give this testimony since we saw each other at the camp volunteer meeting this afternoon, and since both of you will be helping in camp this year.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Comments on Each Other's Material
You both are on your way to having your quality comments. Tyler, you already have 9 and Sean, by definition, you have 5. Sean, you will probably have at least one more by summarizing the remaining chapters, so after that, I encourage you to go to Tyler's section and comment on his materials, or ask him some questions.
Tyler, likewise, you arencouraged to go to Sean's section, and comment and/or ask questions.
Finally, you could also state a major way we can apply the materials.
Sean, just the number of chapters you are dealing with, I know, is time consuming when you get ready to make your comments. Tyler, I also know your time is being consumed more with watching DVD's in addition to your reading.
Good job, both of you. Keep up the good work.
Tyler, likewise, you arencouraged to go to Sean's section, and comment and/or ask questions.
Finally, you could also state a major way we can apply the materials.
Sean, just the number of chapters you are dealing with, I know, is time consuming when you get ready to make your comments. Tyler, I also know your time is being consumed more with watching DVD's in addition to your reading.
Good job, both of you. Keep up the good work.
Friday, June 27, 2008
What is Preaching?
What is preaching, anyway? Some people think you have not preached if you have not yelled, screamed, and drooled. You can do all those things while preaching, but haven't we all been in services where the quiet moving of the spirit came in a poweful way? Have you ever finished a service, and thought "That was the worst job of speaking that I have ever done," only to have someone come to you to say, "That was a great message"? If you haven't, the day probably will come.
Actually, we fall into a danger of equating preaching with a particular style. The best style for you and me is to use our own God-given personalities to communicate His Word. Also, our appropriate passion should be related to content. Have you ever heard someone say, "Amen," loudly but at the wrong point in a message?
What is preaching? One definition is that it is simply proclaiming the Word of God. That's why a person with very little training or experience can preach powerful messages. To proclaim the word of God, you can simply EMPHASIZE what is already there. The key, in any case, is to say what is actually true (that would be what is biblical in our case).
What about teaching and preaching, how do they overlap? Do they overlap? Indeed they do, some preaching is greatly enhanced by teaching about the background of a passage, the meaning of certain words or the cultural context of the original message. The key is to make sure there is a good deal of application when you implement teaching. Since teaching can also emphasize the Word of God, it may be hard to see when you have moved from teaching to preaching.
I heard, years ago, a definition of preaching given by a preacher named Jack Mount. I have found it to be helpful in my own ministry. His definition was: "Preaching is teaching, with persuasion, from a point of authority." The teaching has to do with imparting information. The persuasion relates to the style, and it can include the yelling, screaming, and drooling that we talked about earlier. We also need to know that there are other effective means of persuasion too. Some of them can be quiet. Some of them involve humor. Sometimes we need to speak slowly. The point of authority is the Word of God. If you know you are saying what God wants to say, you can do it with a great deal of confidence. It gives you boldness.
Let's proclaim the Word of God, and let's do it with the style that best communicates that message through our own personalities.
Actually, we fall into a danger of equating preaching with a particular style. The best style for you and me is to use our own God-given personalities to communicate His Word. Also, our appropriate passion should be related to content. Have you ever heard someone say, "Amen," loudly but at the wrong point in a message?
What is preaching? One definition is that it is simply proclaiming the Word of God. That's why a person with very little training or experience can preach powerful messages. To proclaim the word of God, you can simply EMPHASIZE what is already there. The key, in any case, is to say what is actually true (that would be what is biblical in our case).
What about teaching and preaching, how do they overlap? Do they overlap? Indeed they do, some preaching is greatly enhanced by teaching about the background of a passage, the meaning of certain words or the cultural context of the original message. The key is to make sure there is a good deal of application when you implement teaching. Since teaching can also emphasize the Word of God, it may be hard to see when you have moved from teaching to preaching.
I heard, years ago, a definition of preaching given by a preacher named Jack Mount. I have found it to be helpful in my own ministry. His definition was: "Preaching is teaching, with persuasion, from a point of authority." The teaching has to do with imparting information. The persuasion relates to the style, and it can include the yelling, screaming, and drooling that we talked about earlier. We also need to know that there are other effective means of persuasion too. Some of them can be quiet. Some of them involve humor. Sometimes we need to speak slowly. The point of authority is the Word of God. If you know you are saying what God wants to say, you can do it with a great deal of confidence. It gives you boldness.
Let's proclaim the Word of God, and let's do it with the style that best communicates that message through our own personalities.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Paul the Preacher
I always like to try to bring together some of the things we are studying. We are dealing with the life of the apostle, Paul, and with the topic of preaching. How do these two go together?
Well, Paul was one of the most powerful preachers mentioned in the New Testament. He and Peter are featured prominently in the book of Acts. So, it is quite natural that we might be able to relate the two courses together in some way.
I pray that God will give us the courage and excitement of Peter, the boldness of Paul, and the ability to also preach the way Jesus did, which seems to give even another style of communication.
Well, Paul was one of the most powerful preachers mentioned in the New Testament. He and Peter are featured prominently in the book of Acts. So, it is quite natural that we might be able to relate the two courses together in some way.
I pray that God will give us the courage and excitement of Peter, the boldness of Paul, and the ability to also preach the way Jesus did, which seems to give even another style of communication.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
New Chapters
Hey, Preachers,
Enjoyed the meeting last night. It's always good to be sensitive to the Spirit's leading in a church service. I think that's always clear. The more difficult issue is when you have some doubt as to whether it is people's emotions or your own desires that are coming into play or whether it is an actual leading of the Spirit.
Looks like you have some interesting chapters or DVD's this week.
Tyler, who is the instructor on your DVD part of the course?
Enjoyed the meeting last night. It's always good to be sensitive to the Spirit's leading in a church service. I think that's always clear. The more difficult issue is when you have some doubt as to whether it is people's emotions or your own desires that are coming into play or whether it is an actual leading of the Spirit.
Looks like you have some interesting chapters or DVD's this week.
Tyler, who is the instructor on your DVD part of the course?
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Paul: Apostle of the Heart Set Free Week 2 Comments
Please post your initial posts and comments for Paul: Apostle of the Heart Set Free here.
Art & Craft of Biblical Preaching Week 2 Comments
Please post your initial comments and responses for the Art & Craft of Biblical Preaching Here.
Course 2 Beginning of Week Two
This is the first day of week 2.
Please restate the name of your course and the author or editor.
Then divide the number of chapters you have left by 7. After that, list the titles of the chapters we will be discussing this week.
Then do your initial posts (posts that are not in response to someone else's comments) in your posting area. You must have at least three initial posts. Of course if you are going to be dealing with more thatn 3 chapters, you will have more than 3 initial posts.
Remember that you are to logon for at least five different sessions (preferably spread over five different days), and you must have a total of 9 quality posts to get the maximum number of points for the week. Quality posts are defined as being three or more sentences long and relate to the course material. To help make sure that happens, if you are going to discuss more than three chapters in a post, you might want to stop with that and start another post. That way you will have two posts taken care of.
I'm looking forward to a good week.
Please restate the name of your course and the author or editor.
Then divide the number of chapters you have left by 7. After that, list the titles of the chapters we will be discussing this week.
Then do your initial posts (posts that are not in response to someone else's comments) in your posting area. You must have at least three initial posts. Of course if you are going to be dealing with more thatn 3 chapters, you will have more than 3 initial posts.
Remember that you are to logon for at least five different sessions (preferably spread over five different days), and you must have a total of 9 quality posts to get the maximum number of points for the week. Quality posts are defined as being three or more sentences long and relate to the course material. To help make sure that happens, if you are going to discuss more than three chapters in a post, you might want to stop with that and start another post. That way you will have two posts taken care of.
I'm looking forward to a good week.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Course 2 End of Week 1
Well, it has been a good week. We had a good day yesterday. I was surprised at how many children that did not make it to the Bible School Commencement program, but we did have a good number at church anyway, and we had good services both times.
Thanks for all your comments this week. Next week, starting tomorrow, we will get back into the academic material (even though we dealt with quite a few academic questions last week). That doesn't mean we can't continue to throw in our personal comments. It just means that we will have to make sure we get in the minimum number of academic posts.
I will put up two posting areas tomorrow: One will be for Tyler's book and DVD, and the other will be for Sean's book.
Have a good day!
Thanks for all your comments this week. Next week, starting tomorrow, we will get back into the academic material (even though we dealt with quite a few academic questions last week). That doesn't mean we can't continue to throw in our personal comments. It just means that we will have to make sure we get in the minimum number of academic posts.
I will put up two posting areas tomorrow: One will be for Tyler's book and DVD, and the other will be for Sean's book.
Have a good day!
Saturday, June 21, 2008
The Blessing of Family
God has created this world system with a means of populating the earth. In the beginning, according to Jesus, a man was to leave his father and mother, and to cleave to his wife, and the two were to become one flesh.
In this day of loose living and one-night stands, some people have no idea of the blessing of commitment to, and from, another person. I have doing some writing on marriage recently, and I am just reminded what a wonderful thing it is to have a Christian family.
My wife and I had the privilege of growing up in homes where both sets of our parents were Christians. They did not become Christians at a time when we can remember. They had already made professions of faith before the times when we were old enough to remember.
My dad was a Christian, but he often worked a midnight shift, that he later said he used as an excuse to not attend church on Sunday mornings. He, like a lot of people, did not let it occur to him that he could attend on Sunday Evenings even if he missed on Sunday Mornings. Through the years, I saw his commitment to Christ and to the local church grow. He did become faithful on Sunday mornings. He even started attending more than that.
After I was grown and married, He started working with the youth at church. Rhonda's parents, when I met them, were quite faithful to church, but when she was young, they only went on Sunday mornings. Then they moved next door to their church. After that, they began to attend more on Sunday nights. When Rhonda got saved at 11 years old, she started going to church on Wednesday nights. Sometime after that, when she was a teenager, they all started attending even on Wednesday evenings. Her dad didn't attend on Wednesdays regularly because his work often did not allow him to get home in time, but he did attend when he could.
I'm glad that our families' church attendance increased over the years, but I am also glad that we always had believers who were raising us.
The nice thing is that I am sure they prayed for our salvation, and when we got saved, it was a cause of rejoicing. We did not have to be concerned as to what their reaction would be--whether it would be something that would upset them.
People who have seen the wonderful change that comes into a family when the parents come to the Lord, have the opportunity to see the power of God work. They also have a need to study the Word and attend church and allow their minds to be transformed so that they will no longer be conformed to this world.
Be thankful for your heritage. If you are the ones making the change in your family line to being a Christian family, learn all you can. Give your children as much opportunity as you can to be exposed to the things of Christ.
Thank God for established Christian families, and thank God for families who are being transformed into Christian families.
In this day of loose living and one-night stands, some people have no idea of the blessing of commitment to, and from, another person. I have doing some writing on marriage recently, and I am just reminded what a wonderful thing it is to have a Christian family.
My wife and I had the privilege of growing up in homes where both sets of our parents were Christians. They did not become Christians at a time when we can remember. They had already made professions of faith before the times when we were old enough to remember.
My dad was a Christian, but he often worked a midnight shift, that he later said he used as an excuse to not attend church on Sunday mornings. He, like a lot of people, did not let it occur to him that he could attend on Sunday Evenings even if he missed on Sunday Mornings. Through the years, I saw his commitment to Christ and to the local church grow. He did become faithful on Sunday mornings. He even started attending more than that.
After I was grown and married, He started working with the youth at church. Rhonda's parents, when I met them, were quite faithful to church, but when she was young, they only went on Sunday mornings. Then they moved next door to their church. After that, they began to attend more on Sunday nights. When Rhonda got saved at 11 years old, she started going to church on Wednesday nights. Sometime after that, when she was a teenager, they all started attending even on Wednesday evenings. Her dad didn't attend on Wednesdays regularly because his work often did not allow him to get home in time, but he did attend when he could.
I'm glad that our families' church attendance increased over the years, but I am also glad that we always had believers who were raising us.
The nice thing is that I am sure they prayed for our salvation, and when we got saved, it was a cause of rejoicing. We did not have to be concerned as to what their reaction would be--whether it would be something that would upset them.
People who have seen the wonderful change that comes into a family when the parents come to the Lord, have the opportunity to see the power of God work. They also have a need to study the Word and attend church and allow their minds to be transformed so that they will no longer be conformed to this world.
Be thankful for your heritage. If you are the ones making the change in your family line to being a Christian family, learn all you can. Give your children as much opportunity as you can to be exposed to the things of Christ.
Thank God for established Christian families, and thank God for families who are being transformed into Christian families.
Friday, June 20, 2008
The Day the Lord Has Made
This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
This has been a good week. I know you have continued to make some comments on the academic material, but it has been refreshing to comment on anything.
I am not being paid to administer these courses, so I have put in a couple of entries to the left side of the screen that will take you to some other sites on the internet that can be beneficial to me.
I am not asking you to buy anything, but if you would go to the two sites at the left, and after you get there, click on Secrets of Marital Bliss in the one site, and also to click on one of the products featured in the Better Off Now site, that would be a blessing to me. Again, I'm not asking you to buy anything. (Of course if you see something you want, I won't discourage that either.) Just going to the sites will be helpful. If you further click a link that takes you to some of the sites where I have written articles, you would have an opportunity to give a "vote" for some of the articles if you thought they were worthy of a click.
One more thing, you also might want to check out another blog at http://randysarticles.blogspot.com/ .
End of commercialization. (It even happens to Christmas, doesn't it?).
Back to ministry. This is the day the Lord has made, and I do rejoice in it. I also am thankful for the young people who came to Christ last night! To God be the glory!!!
This has been a good week. I know you have continued to make some comments on the academic material, but it has been refreshing to comment on anything.
I am not being paid to administer these courses, so I have put in a couple of entries to the left side of the screen that will take you to some other sites on the internet that can be beneficial to me.
I am not asking you to buy anything, but if you would go to the two sites at the left, and after you get there, click on Secrets of Marital Bliss in the one site, and also to click on one of the products featured in the Better Off Now site, that would be a blessing to me. Again, I'm not asking you to buy anything. (Of course if you see something you want, I won't discourage that either.) Just going to the sites will be helpful. If you further click a link that takes you to some of the sites where I have written articles, you would have an opportunity to give a "vote" for some of the articles if you thought they were worthy of a click.
One more thing, you also might want to check out another blog at http://randysarticles.blogspot.com/ .
End of commercialization. (It even happens to Christmas, doesn't it?).
Back to ministry. This is the day the Lord has made, and I do rejoice in it. I also am thankful for the young people who came to Christ last night! To God be the glory!!!
Thursday, June 19, 2008
The Answer to the Need
Everyone has a need. We all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
The need is serious. The wages of sin is death.
The need presents a problem, but there is a solution to the problem. If the wages of sin is death, and we all deserve that wage or payment, is God going to solve our problem by lowering his standard of perfection? Is He just going to turn His head and pretend like we have never sinned? How can He be both just, and at the same a justifier?
God solved the problem in the person of Jesus Christ. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Indeed, while we were yet sinners, God commends (demonstrates, clearly proves) His love toward us in that He died for us.
God is just. He demands payment for sin, and He does not remove that requirement.
God is the justifier. When Jesus died on the cross, His death was an infinite death that could satisfy the payment for all sin.
The solution to the problem is that Jesus died for us. He died in our place.
Yet, He does not force us to love and serve Him.
How do we obtain the solution?
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved.
Believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead.
Confess Jesus as Lord. He has the right to rule the whole universe. When we confess Him as our Lord, we recognize that He has the right to rule our lives. We commit to following Him and His principles as set forth in the Word of God.
Receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior. To as many as received Him, to them He gave eternal life, even to those who believed on his name.
To clinch knowing that we have obtained the solution, call upon the Lord for salvation. Sometimes we may pray for safety on a trip. We may ask God to heal someone, or we may ask for something; but have you ever really asked God for salvation that is provided through Jesus Christ.
We had a problem.
God loved us enough to provide a solution for that problem.
We need to be grateful enough to accept that solution. If we don't we still have a problem!
The need is serious. The wages of sin is death.
The need presents a problem, but there is a solution to the problem. If the wages of sin is death, and we all deserve that wage or payment, is God going to solve our problem by lowering his standard of perfection? Is He just going to turn His head and pretend like we have never sinned? How can He be both just, and at the same a justifier?
God solved the problem in the person of Jesus Christ. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Indeed, while we were yet sinners, God commends (demonstrates, clearly proves) His love toward us in that He died for us.
God is just. He demands payment for sin, and He does not remove that requirement.
God is the justifier. When Jesus died on the cross, His death was an infinite death that could satisfy the payment for all sin.
The solution to the problem is that Jesus died for us. He died in our place.
Yet, He does not force us to love and serve Him.
How do we obtain the solution?
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved.
Believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead.
Confess Jesus as Lord. He has the right to rule the whole universe. When we confess Him as our Lord, we recognize that He has the right to rule our lives. We commit to following Him and His principles as set forth in the Word of God.
Receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior. To as many as received Him, to them He gave eternal life, even to those who believed on his name.
To clinch knowing that we have obtained the solution, call upon the Lord for salvation. Sometimes we may pray for safety on a trip. We may ask God to heal someone, or we may ask for something; but have you ever really asked God for salvation that is provided through Jesus Christ.
We had a problem.
God loved us enough to provide a solution for that problem.
We need to be grateful enough to accept that solution. If we don't we still have a problem!
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
The Need Everyone Has
Tonight, we had vacation Bible School, as we have every night this week. Last night, I talked about a need that all of our family members have. It is also a need that our friends have. Beyond that, it is a need we all have. That need arises out of the fact that we all have sinned.
Sin is disobeying God--Breaking His Law. It is also missing the mark. We all fall short of the mark of perfection. If we were to get into Heaven by keeping the law, we would have to have done that perfectly. We fall short of the mark of perfection, or we miss the mark of sinlessness.
Tonight, I talked about the fact that this problem--that our family members have, that our friends have, that our neighbors have and, yes, that we ourselves have--is very serious.
The Bible says that the wages (payment) of sin is death. Since we all have sinned, we all deserve the wage of death. There are two types of death. Physical death is where the soul is separated from the body. Spiritual death is where the sould is separated from God.
The Book of Revelation says that death and Hell were cast into the lake of fire. That describes that spiritual death where the soul will be eternally separated from God. Something has to happen to take care of this sin problem.
Sin is disobeying God--Breaking His Law. It is also missing the mark. We all fall short of the mark of perfection. If we were to get into Heaven by keeping the law, we would have to have done that perfectly. We fall short of the mark of perfection, or we miss the mark of sinlessness.
Tonight, I talked about the fact that this problem--that our family members have, that our friends have, that our neighbors have and, yes, that we ourselves have--is very serious.
The Bible says that the wages (payment) of sin is death. Since we all have sinned, we all deserve the wage of death. There are two types of death. Physical death is where the soul is separated from the body. Spiritual death is where the sould is separated from God.
The Book of Revelation says that death and Hell were cast into the lake of fire. That describes that spiritual death where the soul will be eternally separated from God. Something has to happen to take care of this sin problem.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
A New Day! New Week! New Course!
All Right. It's time to begin a new course. Tyler, you would usually get a break between courses, but you were so excited to continue that we have worked out this back-to-back arrangement.
Sean, you have had the advantage of having a three week jump on the course.
This week is an introduction week. That means that all is requred in the way of material posts is to tell us the name of your book and the author(s) or editors.
The rest of your quality posts can be about any topic. Since it is an introduction week, tell us a little more about yourself--something you did not mention in your last course.
Otherwise, the sky is the limit on what to talk about. If your book is lengthy and you want to get started on talking about some of the chapters, that is O.K. too.
Post your Comments under the Course 2 Week 1 posting area.
If you stumbled upon this site and would like to join our discussions, go to the archives and read through our previous posts. Then click on the comments section of the Course 2 Week 1 area and tell us that you would like to sign up. If you are a visitor, you may add your comments without signing up for the course, but you likely will have to have some type of Google account such as a gmail account.
I'm excited about the next 8 weeks!
Sean, you have had the advantage of having a three week jump on the course.
This week is an introduction week. That means that all is requred in the way of material posts is to tell us the name of your book and the author(s) or editors.
The rest of your quality posts can be about any topic. Since it is an introduction week, tell us a little more about yourself--something you did not mention in your last course.
Otherwise, the sky is the limit on what to talk about. If your book is lengthy and you want to get started on talking about some of the chapters, that is O.K. too.
Post your Comments under the Course 2 Week 1 posting area.
If you stumbled upon this site and would like to join our discussions, go to the archives and read through our previous posts. Then click on the comments section of the Course 2 Week 1 area and tell us that you would like to sign up. If you are a visitor, you may add your comments without signing up for the course, but you likely will have to have some type of Google account such as a gmail account.
I'm excited about the next 8 weeks!
Monday, June 16, 2008
Last Day!
Today is the last day of our original course!
Congratulations Tyler. We made it! You did an excellent job.
You just need to post your defnitions of the four assigned words and your post for the course wrap up. Also, any testimonials about how the course was beneficial would be greatly appreciated (but not required)!
Have a great day, and I will send the final grade this week.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Dictionary Meanings
O.K., without looking at a dictionary (It's O.K. if you already have, but don't turen to it right now), write down your homespun definitions for the words: levity, amanuensis, exegesis, eschatology, and homiletics. Then go to a dictionary or dictionaries. If the word is listed, what meaning listed comes closest to yours. (It's O.K. if you were even "way off" in your guesses.)
So, go to the comments section at the bottom of the post and write your results.
You will have the word, your guess at to what it means, and an actual dictionary definition (if the dictionary has one).
Give us those three things for each of the following words:
levity
amanuensis
exegesis
eschatology
homiletics
Post your answers in the comments section below this post.
So, go to the comments section at the bottom of the post and write your results.
You will have the word, your guess at to what it means, and an actual dictionary definition (if the dictionary has one).
Give us those three things for each of the following words:
levity
amanuensis
exegesis
eschatology
homiletics
Post your answers in the comments section below this post.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Further "Word Detective" Stuff
In our comments sections we are working on some of the important words we are coming across. We have worked with "eschatology," and are continuing to work with "levity." We also plan to work some more on "exegesis."
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Being "Word Detectives"
This week, let's work on the exercise of being word detectives as mentioned in the earlier post on important words.
Let's focus on important words in the material we are reading. I know the emphasized words are important, but I think it would be interesting if you would give us a few results of words you have defined by being a "word detective" like we mentioned in the earlier post. The need for this would be for the unfamiliar or (not completely unfamiliar in the sense that we have never heard of them) vague words--words that we thought we had a glimmer of an idea of what they meant. What meaning did you give these words based on your past understanding? What meaning did you give them when you tried to define or guess at their meanings based on the context. Finally, what dictionary definition (if any, occasionally we might miss a meaning altogether) came closest to your own definition?
For this assignment, pick out two words out of what you are (or have been) reading and perform the following exercise: 1. Review this technique: "When dealing with unfamiliar words, maybe like "homiletics," I would suggest you become a word detective. When you come across an unfamiliar word, stop long enough to write down the word. Then replace the word in your imagination with a blank line, like a "fill in the blank" question on a test. Then make your best guess as to what that word means as it is used in the sentence. Write that guess beside your important word, and keep reading. When you come to the word again, stop and see if your earlier guess still fits. If it does, keep reading. If it does not, either refine your earlier guess based on the context of the new sentence (The context is the words or sentences immediately surrounding the word in question) or put down a completely new guess that seems to fit both situations. When you come to the end of the chapter or section you are reading for the day, then get your dictionary. Look at the different dictionary meanings. Many times you will find a dictionary meaning that matches fairly closely with one of your guesses. I find this a lot more fun than stopping to look up each unfamiliar word as I come to it."
2. Pick out two important words from the material you read last week or what you are reading this week and perform the steps above. Do a word-detective exercise on them, and then tell us what you found out. Post your results in this week's comment sections.
3. Let's use the example of "exegesis" as mentioned in some of Sean's material. He said the word appeared twice in his reading. He will give us the sentences in which the word occurred and at least the sentence before and after each of those sentences. We will remove the word and treat it as a blank. Then we will list our guesses. This will be done in addition to the other two words you pick out.
My problem is that I already have some glimmer of understanding of what the word means, Here is what I said when first asked about the word, "Yes, I have heard of it. Actually it is quite a common word used in religious schools, but it is otherwise not very well known. Before going to a dictionary, let's try some of the principles mentioned earlier. Would you list the two sentences in which it occured and maybe the sentences right before and after those?" However, I will try to go through the exercise too based just on the information Sean gives us from the actual sentences in the book.
Important: Don't go to the dictionary first.(Sean, if your have already seen the dictionary meaning, you will have to do like me and perform the exercise just based on the context of the given sentences. Then we will compare our guesses with the dictionary.)
Let's focus on important words in the material we are reading. I know the emphasized words are important, but I think it would be interesting if you would give us a few results of words you have defined by being a "word detective" like we mentioned in the earlier post. The need for this would be for the unfamiliar or (not completely unfamiliar in the sense that we have never heard of them) vague words--words that we thought we had a glimmer of an idea of what they meant. What meaning did you give these words based on your past understanding? What meaning did you give them when you tried to define or guess at their meanings based on the context. Finally, what dictionary definition (if any, occasionally we might miss a meaning altogether) came closest to your own definition?
For this assignment, pick out two words out of what you are (or have been) reading and perform the following exercise: 1. Review this technique: "When dealing with unfamiliar words, maybe like "homiletics," I would suggest you become a word detective. When you come across an unfamiliar word, stop long enough to write down the word. Then replace the word in your imagination with a blank line, like a "fill in the blank" question on a test. Then make your best guess as to what that word means as it is used in the sentence. Write that guess beside your important word, and keep reading. When you come to the word again, stop and see if your earlier guess still fits. If it does, keep reading. If it does not, either refine your earlier guess based on the context of the new sentence (The context is the words or sentences immediately surrounding the word in question) or put down a completely new guess that seems to fit both situations. When you come to the end of the chapter or section you are reading for the day, then get your dictionary. Look at the different dictionary meanings. Many times you will find a dictionary meaning that matches fairly closely with one of your guesses. I find this a lot more fun than stopping to look up each unfamiliar word as I come to it."
2. Pick out two important words from the material you read last week or what you are reading this week and perform the steps above. Do a word-detective exercise on them, and then tell us what you found out. Post your results in this week's comment sections.
3. Let's use the example of "exegesis" as mentioned in some of Sean's material. He said the word appeared twice in his reading. He will give us the sentences in which the word occurred and at least the sentence before and after each of those sentences. We will remove the word and treat it as a blank. Then we will list our guesses. This will be done in addition to the other two words you pick out.
My problem is that I already have some glimmer of understanding of what the word means, Here is what I said when first asked about the word, "Yes, I have heard of it. Actually it is quite a common word used in religious schools, but it is otherwise not very well known. Before going to a dictionary, let's try some of the principles mentioned earlier. Would you list the two sentences in which it occured and maybe the sentences right before and after those?" However, I will try to go through the exercise too based just on the information Sean gives us from the actual sentences in the book.
Important: Don't go to the dictionary first.(Sean, if your have already seen the dictionary meaning, you will have to do like me and perform the exercise just based on the context of the given sentences. Then we will compare our guesses with the dictionary.)
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Beginning of Weeks 8 and 3A
Wow! Tyler, we've almost made it. I hope it have been a good experience for you.
In addition to your regular posts this week, you will need to work on a "course wrapup." To do that, write an article about your experience, and deal with the following questions: 1. What did you like best as you went through the course? 2. How did you benefit from what you studied? 3. What more would you like to learn or study about this topic? 4. Having read your whole book, what do you think was the main idea the author wanted to get across? (How long should it be? long enough to at least give short answers to those questins--other than that, it can be as long as you like.
Sean, you might want to deal with about four chapters a day if this week requires the same volume of material as last week.
Both of you, you know the drill:
State the title of your book and the name(s) of the author(s)or editor(s).
Count the number of chapters you have left. Tyler, those will be the ones you comment on this week. Sean, divide that number by 9, and that will give you approximately the number of chapters you want to deal with this week.
Give us the titles of those chapters in one of the early posts even though you will come back later to comment on them.
As we are coming to the end of one phase of our journey, I must say it has been a very good experience for me. Again, I appreciagte both of you, and it has been good to be able share prayer requests along the way.
Havb a great week.
Randy
In addition to your regular posts this week, you will need to work on a "course wrapup." To do that, write an article about your experience, and deal with the following questions: 1. What did you like best as you went through the course? 2. How did you benefit from what you studied? 3. What more would you like to learn or study about this topic? 4. Having read your whole book, what do you think was the main idea the author wanted to get across? (How long should it be? long enough to at least give short answers to those questins--other than that, it can be as long as you like.
Sean, you might want to deal with about four chapters a day if this week requires the same volume of material as last week.
Both of you, you know the drill:
State the title of your book and the name(s) of the author(s)or editor(s).
Count the number of chapters you have left. Tyler, those will be the ones you comment on this week. Sean, divide that number by 9, and that will give you approximately the number of chapters you want to deal with this week.
Give us the titles of those chapters in one of the early posts even though you will come back later to comment on them.
As we are coming to the end of one phase of our journey, I must say it has been a very good experience for me. Again, I appreciagte both of you, and it has been good to be able share prayer requests along the way.
Havb a great week.
Randy
Monday, June 9, 2008
End of Weeks 7 and 2A
We have come to the end of week 7 in our original journey. We are also at the end of week 2A as Sean has joined us.
Next week, Tyler, you will be working on a course wrapup as well as doing your regular posting.
Sean, you will contnue as you have this week.
Now, to wrap up this week, neither of you have a three-sentence minimum required for any post. Sean, we do need the titles of the rest of your 19 chapters. You do need to at least speed-read them before the day is over. Then give us some highlights of some of what you read. What did you like best? What was new?
For both of you, if possible, pick out a few important words, and give the results of going through the process of being a "word detective" as mentioned in an earlier post.
I trust things went well for you yesterday.
Have a wonderful day!
Randy
Next week, Tyler, you will be working on a course wrapup as well as doing your regular posting.
Sean, you will contnue as you have this week.
Now, to wrap up this week, neither of you have a three-sentence minimum required for any post. Sean, we do need the titles of the rest of your 19 chapters. You do need to at least speed-read them before the day is over. Then give us some highlights of some of what you read. What did you like best? What was new?
For both of you, if possible, pick out a few important words, and give the results of going through the process of being a "word detective" as mentioned in an earlier post.
I trust things went well for you yesterday.
Have a wonderful day!
Randy
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Resurrection Day
Have a great day today, as every Sunday reminds us of the wonderful truth of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Tyler, I wish you well as you preach this morning. I Just prayed for you.
Randy
Tyler, I wish you well as you preach this morning. I Just prayed for you.
Randy
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Focusing on Important Words
As we finish up this week, I would like for us to focus on important words in the material we are reading. I know the emphasized words are important, but I think it would be interesting if you would give us a few results of words you have defined by being a "word detective" like we mentioned in the last post. The need for this would be for the unfamiliar or (not completely unfamiliar in the sense that we have never heard of them) vague words--words that we thought we had a glimmer of an idea of what they meant. What meaning did you give these words based on your past understanding? What meaning did you give them when you tried to define or guess at their meanings based on the context. Finally, what dictionary definition (if any, occasionally we might miss a meaning altogether) came closest to your own definition?
Pick some important words from this week's material, do a word-detective exercise on them, and then tell us what you found out. Post your results in the comment sections of weeks 2A and 7.
Sean, make sure you do tell us the names of the rest of the chapters you are covering (by reading or speeed reading) this week. Then give us a few comments on the ones that seem most helpful to you.
Tyler, you have done a good job. The work you have done will pave the way for others who sign up.
Pick some important words from this week's material, do a word-detective exercise on them, and then tell us what you found out. Post your results in the comment sections of weeks 2A and 7.
Sean, make sure you do tell us the names of the rest of the chapters you are covering (by reading or speeed reading) this week. Then give us a few comments on the ones that seem most helpful to you.
Tyler, you have done a good job. The work you have done will pave the way for others who sign up.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Important Words
Sean, you mentioned the word, homiletics, in one of your, posts. Then you said it was used quite often in your book. After that, you told what you think it means, and I must say I think you have defined it well.
Mortimer J. Adler wrote a book on reading that was geared toward college students. One of the things he said was important when you are reading any kind of book is to discover the important words. I will build some on his ideas in this post
What are the important words in what you are studying? Well, they probably show up in the titles of the book, or titles of chapters, or titles of subheadings. Another clue is to find words that are especially emphasized by the author. Then, another category of important words can be different for each one of us. Those are the words that are unfamiliar to us.
When dealing with unfamiliar words, maybe like "homiletics," I would suggest you become a word detective. When you come across an unfamiliar word, stop long enough to write down the word. Then replace the word in your imagination with a blank line, like a "fill in the blank" question on a test. Then make your best guess as to what that word means as it is used in the sentence. Write that guess beside your important word, and keep reading. When you come to the word again, stop and see if your earlier guess still fits. If it does, keep reading. If it does not, either refine your earlier guess based on the context of the new sentence (The context is the words or sentences immediately surrounding the word in question) or put down a completely new guess that seems to fit both situations. When you come to the end of the chapter or section you are reading for the day, then get your dictionary. Look at the different dictionary meanings. Many times you will find a dictionary meaning that matches fairly closely with one of your guesses. I find this a lot more fun than stopping to look up each unfamiliar word as I come to it.
Another type of important word is a common word that is used in an unusual or specialized way.
What are some of the important words you have run across in the material you have been reading? Based on the context, what do you think they meant? Did they match up with any dictionary definitions?
When you do this, you can keep reading material that has such a specialized vocabulary that some of its words do not even appear in a regular dictionary.
Anyway, give us some of the important words you have come across for this course, and have fun being a word detective!
Mortimer J. Adler wrote a book on reading that was geared toward college students. One of the things he said was important when you are reading any kind of book is to discover the important words. I will build some on his ideas in this post
What are the important words in what you are studying? Well, they probably show up in the titles of the book, or titles of chapters, or titles of subheadings. Another clue is to find words that are especially emphasized by the author. Then, another category of important words can be different for each one of us. Those are the words that are unfamiliar to us.
When dealing with unfamiliar words, maybe like "homiletics," I would suggest you become a word detective. When you come across an unfamiliar word, stop long enough to write down the word. Then replace the word in your imagination with a blank line, like a "fill in the blank" question on a test. Then make your best guess as to what that word means as it is used in the sentence. Write that guess beside your important word, and keep reading. When you come to the word again, stop and see if your earlier guess still fits. If it does, keep reading. If it does not, either refine your earlier guess based on the context of the new sentence (The context is the words or sentences immediately surrounding the word in question) or put down a completely new guess that seems to fit both situations. When you come to the end of the chapter or section you are reading for the day, then get your dictionary. Look at the different dictionary meanings. Many times you will find a dictionary meaning that matches fairly closely with one of your guesses. I find this a lot more fun than stopping to look up each unfamiliar word as I come to it.
Another type of important word is a common word that is used in an unusual or specialized way.
What are some of the important words you have run across in the material you have been reading? Based on the context, what do you think they meant? Did they match up with any dictionary definitions?
When you do this, you can keep reading material that has such a specialized vocabulary that some of its words do not even appear in a regular dictionary.
Anyway, give us some of the important words you have come across for this course, and have fun being a word detective!
An Authoritative Word
"There are no absolutes!" said the college professor.
"Hmm," said the student to himself. "That's a pretty strong statement. In fact, that sounds kind of 'absolute.'"
Actually the wave of popular thought is "Anything goes. It all depends on the situation." In a sense the idea is that everything is relative.
Do you notice, however the contradictions in the two statements: "There are no absolutes," and "Everything is relative"? They are both absoute statements. So, the idea is really "Everything is relative (except this statement I just made.)"
The Christian worldview is: Some things are relative, but also some things are absolute.
We have an authoritavie Word from God that expresses many absolutes, and these absolute truths are found in the Bible.
"Hmm," said the student to himself. "That's a pretty strong statement. In fact, that sounds kind of 'absolute.'"
Actually the wave of popular thought is "Anything goes. It all depends on the situation." In a sense the idea is that everything is relative.
Do you notice, however the contradictions in the two statements: "There are no absolutes," and "Everything is relative"? They are both absoute statements. So, the idea is really "Everything is relative (except this statement I just made.)"
The Christian worldview is: Some things are relative, but also some things are absolute.
We have an authoritavie Word from God that expresses many absolutes, and these absolute truths are found in the Bible.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Week 2A Posts
Sean, please post your initial comments here. Tyler, please respond to Seans's comments here. (Responses count as quality comments as well as initial posts.)
All of us, have fun commenting here when we know our required comments have been posted.
Visitors are welcome to join the discussion by clicking on the word "comments" below.
All of us, have fun commenting here when we know our required comments have been posted.
Visitors are welcome to join the discussion by clicking on the word "comments" below.
Week 7 Posts
Tyler, please post your initial comments here. Sean, please respond to Tyler's comments here. (Responses count as quality comments as well as initial posts.) All of us, have fun commenting here when we know our required comments have been posted.
Visitors are welcome to join the discussion by clicking on the word "comments" below.
Visitors are welcome to join the discussion by clicking on the word "comments" below.
Beginning of Week 7 and Week 2A
In our original course, we are three-fourths of the way through.
This week is the beginning of week 7.
We also have started a new course, and have welcomed Sean Emery as part of the online community. This will be the second week of that course. We are calling it week 2A so that we can all have the same designation after next week.
We will have two posting areas this week. The Week 7 posting area will be where Tyler will post his initial comments about his book. The Week 2A posting area will be where Sean will post his initial comments concerning his book. We will comment in both areas this week.
To get started, the first post should include the name of the book and the author. Then, look at how many chapters that remain in the book. Tyler, divide that number by 2. That will give you how many chapeters we are going to discuss this week. Sean, divide that number by 10, and that will give you how many chapeters we are going to discuss this week in your section.
So, to summarize, in Week 7 posts, the first entry will be the information about the name and author of Tyler's book, followed by the titles of the chapters we will discuss this week.
In Week 2A posts, the first entry will be the information about the name and author of Sean's book, followed by the titles of the chapters we will discuss this week.
Again, each of us needs to logon at least five times during the week, preferably on different days if possible. (We have been exceeding this, so keep up the good work.) We also need to post at least 9 quality comments during the week. (A quality comment is defined as 3 or more sentences and it does relate to the topic we are discussing.) We have been exceeding this also. When we know that we are going to meet the required comments, we can also throw in a lot of "one-liner" comments, humorous comments, social comments, and other comments that do not relate to the topics at hand. The easy way to do this is to make sure that you start with two of what we call quality comments each day, and then have fun commenting back and forth!
Please post your comments this week under the entries: Week 7 Posts and Week 2A Posts.
Visitors are welcome to comment in these areas also.
This week is the beginning of week 7.
We also have started a new course, and have welcomed Sean Emery as part of the online community. This will be the second week of that course. We are calling it week 2A so that we can all have the same designation after next week.
We will have two posting areas this week. The Week 7 posting area will be where Tyler will post his initial comments about his book. The Week 2A posting area will be where Sean will post his initial comments concerning his book. We will comment in both areas this week.
To get started, the first post should include the name of the book and the author. Then, look at how many chapters that remain in the book. Tyler, divide that number by 2. That will give you how many chapeters we are going to discuss this week. Sean, divide that number by 10, and that will give you how many chapeters we are going to discuss this week in your section.
So, to summarize, in Week 7 posts, the first entry will be the information about the name and author of Tyler's book, followed by the titles of the chapters we will discuss this week.
In Week 2A posts, the first entry will be the information about the name and author of Sean's book, followed by the titles of the chapters we will discuss this week.
Again, each of us needs to logon at least five times during the week, preferably on different days if possible. (We have been exceeding this, so keep up the good work.) We also need to post at least 9 quality comments during the week. (A quality comment is defined as 3 or more sentences and it does relate to the topic we are discussing.) We have been exceeding this also. When we know that we are going to meet the required comments, we can also throw in a lot of "one-liner" comments, humorous comments, social comments, and other comments that do not relate to the topics at hand. The easy way to do this is to make sure that you start with two of what we call quality comments each day, and then have fun commenting back and forth!
Please post your comments this week under the entries: Week 7 Posts and Week 2A Posts.
Visitors are welcome to comment in these areas also.
Monday, June 2, 2008
End of Week 6
This is the end of Week 6 (or Week 1A for Sean).
Nest week, (Starting tomorrow, with our weeks starting on Tuesday) we will have two comment areas. One will be for the place where Tyler will place his initial posts concerning his chapters. The other will be where Sean will place his initial posts concerning his chapters.
After the initial posts are in place, we all will be able to comment in both areas.
Visitors would be welcome to post too.
See you tomorrow.
Randy
(Dr. Randy Carney)
Nest week, (Starting tomorrow, with our weeks starting on Tuesday) we will have two comment areas. One will be for the place where Tyler will place his initial posts concerning his chapters. The other will be where Sean will place his initial posts concerning his chapters.
After the initial posts are in place, we all will be able to comment in both areas.
Visitors would be welcome to post too.
See you tomorrow.
Randy
(Dr. Randy Carney)
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Relaxing Post
Today is sunday. This is not a post for "work."
I just praise the Lord for a good service this morning. Today was "Graduates' Sunday." We had 45 people under the age of 24 and also including people that were taking classes as part of a degree program no matter their age. Our goal was 70 for that class of people. We didn't make the goal, but we did have a good crowd with a total of 82. We have had services with our windows open for the last few weeks while we are waiting to decide what to do about our air conditioner.
Bro. Tommy Dryden preached for us this morning and did an excellent job. He also led the singing. His double-duty was a great blessing to the congregation, but it might have been a little stressful to him. (If he was stressed, he certainly didn't show it.) He talked about the need to flee the things we shouldn't be involved in and to pursue the Lord. This illustrated that "Godliness with contentment is great gain."
I'm looking forward to tonight where we will have a meal following the evening service.
I hope you all are having a good day today!
Bro. Randy
I just praise the Lord for a good service this morning. Today was "Graduates' Sunday." We had 45 people under the age of 24 and also including people that were taking classes as part of a degree program no matter their age. Our goal was 70 for that class of people. We didn't make the goal, but we did have a good crowd with a total of 82. We have had services with our windows open for the last few weeks while we are waiting to decide what to do about our air conditioner.
Bro. Tommy Dryden preached for us this morning and did an excellent job. He also led the singing. His double-duty was a great blessing to the congregation, but it might have been a little stressful to him. (If he was stressed, he certainly didn't show it.) He talked about the need to flee the things we shouldn't be involved in and to pursue the Lord. This illustrated that "Godliness with contentment is great gain."
I'm looking forward to tonight where we will have a meal following the evening service.
I hope you all are having a good day today!
Bro. Randy
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